He often trained daily in his C1 using slalom gates set up on a feeder canal next to the Potomac River near Great Falls.

He and some other fellow racers (notably David Hearn) developed new designs of low volume decked canoes, using nylon, kevlar and fiberglass cloths mixed with epoxy resin.

Lugbill went on to win gold in his category several more times; 1981 at Bala (Wales), 1983 at Meran (Italy), 1987 at Bourg St. Maurice (France), and 1989 at the Savage River (USA).

In 1985 at Augsburg (then in West Germany), Lugbill had to settle for the silver medal after David Hearn bested him for the gold.

During the peak of Lugbill's career, whitewater canoeing was not included on the competition program of the Summer Olympic Games.